Beverages
Sri Lankan Tea with Cardamom
About this dish
In Sri Lanka, tea is more than a drink—it's a rhythm. This cardamom-spiced version is a noisy, aromatic ritual; the cracked pods snap against the pan, the milk hisses as it hits the boil, and every sip hums with warmth.
Kasun Perera insists you use freshly cracked cardamom and a good black tea, because life's too short for dust.
Ingredients
UK and US measurements are both included for every recipe.
Water
liquid500 ml
Imperial measurement: 2 cups
Black tea leaves (e.g., Ceylon)
grain2 teaspoons
Cardamom pods, lightly crushed
spice4 pods
Milk (whole or your favourite dairy-free)
dairy120 ml
Imperial measurement: 1/2 cup
Sugar (or jaggery, to taste)
other4 teaspoons
Method
Boil the water with cardamom
PT3MIn a small saucepan, bring water and crushed cardamom pods to a rolling boil over high heat. Listen for that happy noise—bubbles crashing and pods dancing.
Add the tea leaves and steep
PT3MRemove pan from heat, add the black tea leaves, and stir once. Let steep for exactly 3 minutes while the aroma slaps you in the face. No peeking.
Add milk and sugar
PT2MStrain the tea into a fresh pan or pot to remove the leaves and cardamom pods (or leave a pod in for the adventurous). Add milk and sugar, then return to heat. Whisk furiously as it comes to a boil; the froth is your proof of life.
Serve loudly
PT1MPour into teacups in a bold arc—that satisfying splash is part of the ritual. Serve immediately, cup held with both hands, steam curling.
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Fine mesh strainer
- Whisk (optional but fun)
- Teacups
Nutrition facts
Tips
- Crush cardamom pods gently—just enough to crack the shell so the seeds release their perfume without becoming bitter dust.
- If you're dairy-free, coconut milk works wonderfully here, its richness shrugs against the cardamom like old friends.
- Don't skip the vigorous whisk at the end—that's how you wake up the spirit of the tea and get that gorgeous, unstable froth.
- Jaggery gives a deeper, earthier sweetness than sugar, break a small piece and drop it in while the tea is still staining the pot.
Serving suggestions
- Serve with a thin slice of ginger or a stick of cinnamon for extra theatre. It's a beautiful accompaniment to kottu roti, a curry, or just a moment of introspection.
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Recipe by
Kasun Perera
Specialises in Sri Lankan cuisineKasun makes kottu roti on a griddle using two metal blades. The sound alone sells out his food truck.
Describe yourself in three words: Rhythmic, energetic, noisy cook.